Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1887-06-09
A REMARKABLE DREAM.
A Man Mysteriousiy Warned OF His Moth
er's Death.

A correspondent writes to the St.
Louis Republican: | am not believer
in dreams, neither am | siIpeFstitious,
but, on the contrary, have always held
that the spirit having once taken its
flight neither troubled nor exerted any
influence on those left behind. That
opinion have always and still do
strongly hold, even in the face of the
dream am about to relate.
Up to the fall of 1885 held q posi-
ton with an English firm in London,
who, ut that time, wishing to open a
branch of their business in New York
city, Offered me the management Of
the new branch, which | accepted,
leaving my mother and brother in sole
possession of our coy home at Sun
bury-on-the-Thames, near London.
In February last the chief partner Of
the firm came from London TO New
York on business trip, and during
his stay occupied separate bed in my
bedroom. After he had staid with me
few nights | had the dream, or vision,
or whatever it may be called.
/ dreamed that figure or shape so
enwrapped that could distinguish no
form stood by my bedside and beck
oned me to arise; thought | did SO,
and hurriedly threw on my clothes,
when the figure motioned me to follow
it, went downstairs and out into the
cold winter night; as we proceeded l
could distinguish the main street of
Sunbury-on-theThames, which lead past
my mothers house to the river. Every
little landmark, as | had seen it thous-
ands of times before, was plainly dis
cernable. There was the snow, made
more visible as it fell between me and
the lighted lamps, and as we neared
the river the rush of water falling over
the Sunbury weir became as distinctly
audible as it would have done had /
really been i'll that delightful village.
My specter, still leading the way,
turned into the old churchyard, which
is situated near the river and abuts
upon the street we were traversing.
followed unhesitatingly, for I did
not seem to feel the slightest trepida-
ton. There was the grand old church
standing clearly out against the snow,
surrounded by the countless monu-
ments and tombstones, marking the
last resting place of departed villagers
for centuries past.
There we halted and the apparition
pointed to the ground at our feet. |
looked down and beheld freshly-made
grave, half filled with drifted snow.
NV gaze seemed to be riveted upon it
for some seconds. When / looked UP
my companion had vanished-and /
awoke to find myself comfortably in
my bed in the city of New York, some
$500 miles away from the scene so
wildly impressed upon my mind.
In the morning, when my principal
awoke, | told him casually of my
dream, and after breakfasting together
we separated and did not meet again
till dinner, /, for one, in the hurry of
business, thinking no more of my
dream.
About 2 o'clock the same afternoon
we met again for dinner, when / no.
ticed something strange and CON
strained in my principals manner to-
ward me- After great deal of "beat-
ing about the bush, he asked me if |
had thought any more about my dream.
l said mo, really had not" which
was the entire truth. He said: 1T
was very extraordinary ono" and
kept referring 70 it over ard over
again during the meal. At last, from
the strangcneSs of his manner and his
returning so frequently to such triv-
iai Su5jec. as a dream, when he had
important business 20 discuss, ! began
to suspect shat lie had some bad news
for me, which iie did not like TO i'm
part. So asked h;m positively what
was the matter, and he toll me that
he had received Il cable .eranl that
morning from my brotior ia England
saying that ny mother bad ,tcd sud-
tiealy, and requesting him 10 break the
new, "a me.
Ny mother was a strong and hale,
m:,idle-u.:el lady. | had received a
letter from iicr only a day or TWO be-
fore, stating that both She and my
brother were in excellent health, she
even arranging in that letter trip to
New York this spring to visit me;
therefore the idea OF death striking
either herself or my brother could not
possibly have been in my mind or led
to this remarkable dream.
l afterward learned that my moth
ers death was very sudden from heart
disease, there not being time for the
doctor to arrive; that she was in Der
usual robust health up to the time Of
her death; that she died about the time
| had this dream, was buried in Sun
bury churchyard, and that at the time
of the funeral the grave was partially
filled with drifted snow.
| have said | do not believe in
dreams; therefore, as far as | am con
cerned, this dream will ever continue
a most unaccountable mystery.